Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Wagons at the Centennial Exposition

By all accounts, the 1876 Centennial
Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was an ambitious and momentous
event. Lasting six months, from May 10th
to November 10th, this first World’s Fair was ostentatious with extraordinary
architecture showcasing countless treasures and innovations of the known
world. The Exposition included over 200
buildings and 30,000 exhibits spread over 450 acres. Among the vast technology displayed was
Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone and a Remington typewriter as well as a mechanical
calculating machine (a precursor to today’s computers). This half-year celebration in honor of the
signing of America’s Declaration of Independence was heavily photographed and
hosted almost 10 million visitors with countless promotional souvenirs handed
out.

Rare
photos taken during the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.

While original tickets and other
mementos can be found today, there are less than a handful of the
magnificent buildings that still exist.In like fashion, and in spite of the world-wide attention and extensive
photography at the event, very few records remain of the horse-drawn
vehicles shown during this renowned pageant.Several years ago, I wrote an article called “A Ticket to Tomorrow” for
our website and added even more details in our “Borrowed Time” book regarding
one of the innovative wagons that was displayed at the Exposition.The wagon was built by Jacob Becker, Jr. of
Seymour, Indiana and was equipped with patented braking and steering designs.It took two full years to conclusively
identify the wagon in the photo as the one owned and shown by Becker.For an even longer period, that photograph and the
actual Studebaker Centennial wagon (currently on display at the Studebaker National Museum) have been the only known surviving visuals of wagons shown
during this larger-than-life experience.

A
one-of-a-kind image showing Jacob Becker, Jr.’s “Champion Wagon of the West”
shown at the first World’s Fair.

Since the identification of the Becker
wagon (shown above), we've spent years looking for more records of wagons presented at this first World’s Fair.
The persistence has paid off and, today, we’re celebrating the discovery of yet another photo of a vehicle
demonstrated at this event.
Ironically, this wagon appears to have been located very close to Jacob
Becker’s wagon display. This latest
original photo shows a patented crane-neck dray in full ceremonial style; ornate striping,
exquisite woodwork, and an exclusive design.
It was built by John Beggs & Sons of Philadelphia. The firm was known for quality fabrication of
numerous wagons and city vehicles. The
photo immediately below is excerpted from the image which shows the entire
wagon. It was taken on the grounds of
the Exposition in 1876. As a point of
reference, the photo was likely taken just weeks before General Custer met his
demise at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

John
Beggs & Sons displayed an exclusive dray design at the Philadelphia
Exposition.

We have another century-plus-old book in
the Wheels That Won The West® Archives that gives us even more detail on the
color, features, and striping of the vehicle.
In fact, it is possible that enough details are now available that a
replica could be built in honor of America’s 250th Anniversary in 2026, less
than a dozen years from today. Below is
part of the 1867 patent for the vehicle.
Collectively, these ultra-rare resources are helping us put the pieces
back together for what effectively introduced America as a new industrial
world power.

With fewer than 3 dozen wagon builders
competing for attention and awards at the Centennial Exposition – including
legendary makes such as Milburn, Moline, Kansas, Jackson, Schuttler, Cortland,
Studebaker, Fish Bros., and Wilson, Childs & Co. – it might seem that there
would be more details available.
Regrettably, that is far from the case as each one of the discoveries
mentioned have required substantial effort to locate and recognize their significance.

John
Beggs & Sons was granted a patent on their dray in 1867.

With each find, though, there is
hope - hope for future discoveries and
hope for greater recognition of these pieces.Ironically, it’s that same hope for tomorrow that every exhibitor held
at that first World’s Fair.Today, it
still drives us to look forward in anticipation and expectation; a great
blessing of our democracy and the very foundations of American independence.

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About Me

The Wheels That Won The West® collection spans more than two centuries of horse drawn vehicle manufacture. It contains scarce imagery, specifications, correspondence, promotional literature & other all-but-forgotten historical details of the workings of America’s early western transportation industry. The subject is a huge and virtually untouched aspect of western study; rich with untold stories of personal, corporate & national dreams. Focusing on the heavier farm, freight, ranch, coach, business & military vehicles that built the western frontier of the U.S., our research and articles have been published by the American Chuck Wagon Association, National Stagecoach & Freight Wagon Association, Santa Fe Trail Association, The Carriage Journal, Farm Collector, Driving Digest & Wild West magazines as well as the Wheels That Won The West® website & numerous other traditional and on-line publications.
Complementing our commitment to research, publishing, entertainment & promotional projects, we are frequently called on for vehicle consulting, identification & authentication work. If you have a question about our products & services, please drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you.